My baby won't eat rice cereal D: Suggestions???

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Infants

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3lish3va

Wed, May 04 2011, 4:48 pm

My little tzadik won't eat his rice [or green peas for that matter!] at all and I want to start him on some starchs and also proteins and just don't know what to [he's the first hehe]
he's 6 months and a little...

Yippie

Wed, May 04 2011, 4:59 pm

oatmeal cereal is what my kids like

mha3484

Wed, May 04 2011, 5:01 pm

I mix the vitamin D drops into DS's cereal and it sweetens it up.

Yippie

Wed, May 04 2011, 5:02 pm

6 months is actually too early for big food like rice. u can give those baby jars, comes in sweet potato, squash, my kids loved it.

zigi

Wed, May 04 2011, 5:02 pm

I mix cereal with applesauce or peaches etc. I also use it to thicken chicken soup

sarahmalka

Wed, May 04 2011, 5:04 pm

We started our babies on sweet potatoes, when they were ready to move to solids. For us that was about 8 months, IIRC.
Could it be he's not ready yet and that's why he's rejecting? There's really no rush to start solids, unless you've been advised otherwise for medical reasons. There are some signs that caregivers can look for to 'know' when the time is right: baby is getting teeth, baby sits on own, baby has moved from palmar grasp to pincher grasp (picking up small items between thumb and forefinger), baby has lost the tongue-thrust response (no longer pushes food automatically out of his mouth with tongue), baby shows interest in food. I'm sure there are others, that's what jumps to mind first off.

MiracleMama

Wed, May 04 2011, 5:34 pm

If your nursing mix the rice cereal (or baby oatmeal, that's what we started with) with some breastmilk. Keep it very liquidy. If he still doesn't take it, just drop it and try again in a few weeks. Not every baby is ready just because they turned 6 months.

octopus

Wed, May 04 2011, 5:50 pm

have you ever tasted rice cereal before? It tastes GROSS. I don't blame your baby for not eating it. The oatmeal cereal tastes much better. I also like mixing some applesauce into it. I did that for baby #1. For baby #2, I didn't even use store bought stuff. Made a chicken soup and mashed up some veggies with some soup liquid (didn't give chicken until they were up to it). Sometimes sweet potatoes. The babies LOVE that.

red sea

Wed, May 04 2011, 6:00 pm

I second octopus, did you ever taste it? Smart kid. Try another food choice.

DovDov

Wed, May 04 2011, 6:44 pm

Don't feed him rice cereal.

He might not be ready for solids at all, but if he is, give him some soft real foods. Chicken soup and chulent are two of my babies' favorite early foods, but for allergy purposes you might want to start with single veggies first -- avocado, banana, sweet potato.

amother

Wed, May 04 2011, 8:16 pm

my daughter is 7 months. she will eat anything, but prefers the rice when it is mixed w something. so I make the cereal with formula and then add in half a jar of fruit - any kind.

spring13

Sun, May 08 2011, 2:06 am

Rice cereal isn't necessary, so if he doesn't like it, it's ok to try something else. Oatmeal mixed with some pureed fruit might go over better.

technically, you can feed just about anything that's not a choking hazard, a suspected allergy in your family, or things like honey. pureed meat is ok if you really want to start it now, but it's not nutritionally necessary yet. take it slow, start with fruits and vegetables.

lizard8

Sun, May 08 2011, 7:44 am

In USA they changed the first foods recommendations. They don't recommend cereal as a first food, but say to start off with chicken, beans,fruits and veggies. Pureed chicken soup (with chicken) and cholent are great first foods. Just make sure they are liquedy enough for your child's needs.

My baby is 6 months, 19lbs, and wont eat a thing. She shuts her mouth so tight when I give her food. Sometimes I can get in a few spoonfuls, but when she doesn't want it, she gags it up. I tried all different types of food, watered it down...but she doesn't eat more than a few bites.
I tried a few times then waited a bit. Should I wait another 2 weeks before starting again, or should I continue this fight?

gp2.0

Sun, May 08 2011, 9:24 am

To the pp: you shouldn't force a baby that young to eat. If she's gaining nicely but won't eat, she's just not hungry/ready for solids. No need to push it. Wait until SHE begs YOU for food.

To the OP: food is just for practice at this point. Offer finger foods and let her try feeding herself. It doesn't matter how much/whether or not she eats at this point, her main source of nutrition should still be milk/formula.

Grandmama

Sun, May 08 2011, 9:40 am

gp2.0 wrote:

Amital

Sun, May 08 2011, 1:55 pm

I second the thumbs up for gp2.0. (Is that a

?)

NONE of my kids have eaten rice cereal. They all hate it. So I've started with other things--but be sure they are ready. I had one who was desperate for what everyone else was eating about 5 months, but the others have been slower. Take their cues and don't rush it. It will come eventually!

shanie5

Sun, May 08 2011, 2:14 pm

6 months and 19 pounds-no food necessary. She is obviously gaining on the breast milk or formula she prefers. My ss is almost 7 months and maybe 14 lbs-and she is not considered underweight-so 19 lbs gotta be fine. dd does like food though-just about anything we offer.........

elmos

Sun, May 08 2011, 9:10 pm

one of my kids refused any baby ceral only ate fruit or veggies while my other one only ate ceral mixed with fruit or veggie and preffered barley which according to the dr was healthier

saw50st8

Sun, May 08 2011, 9:14 pm

My kids loved bananas, avocado and yogurt at that age.

BatyatheBabyCoach

Wed, May 11 2011, 5:30 am

Like other just wrote here, it's very possible your baby isn't ready for solids just because he's 6 months old. Forcing your baby before he's ready is never a good idea... Signs to help determine if he's ready are: He has generally been lasting happily between feeds but now seems to get irritable well before, Is extremely irritable after a meal and seems to still be hungry, Used to sleep well during naps and night-time, but has recently started to wake up earlier and earlier, Chews on his hands excessively, or Watches you eat and seems genuinely interested.

If you do feel he's ready but he's rejecting baby rice cereal, there are other options, but I would be careful not to offer only sweet fruits and vegetables as his pallet could easily become accustomed to sweet things and may later reject anything without high sugar content.

Also, it's important to note WHEN you're offering the solids. Don't offer it to him only when he's hungry as he will become frustrated. Start once a day, 1/2 hour-1 hour after he's had a liquid meal. Gradually each day you can offer more and more until he's able to eat it well enough that it can be an actual solid meal for him. Good luck!

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